


The Last Chinoke

by TropicalGraffiti



Category: Naruto
Genre: Deviates From Canon, F/M, Kekkei Genkai | Bloodline Limit, Konohagakure | Hidden Leaf Village, Kumogakure | Hidden Cloud Village, Mental Health Issues, Ninja, Slice of Life, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-15 13:32:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16064156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TropicalGraffiti/pseuds/TropicalGraffiti
Summary: Airo is your typical 6 year old. Rambunctious, curious, and living in a desert valley with her clan mates who fight over everything from food to revenge. Her only solace in this situation is her immediate family, but even that doesn't last long.





	1. Hide and Seek

Chapter 1: Hide and Seek

    Airo lay quietly, eyes wide open watching her surroundings brighten. She loved watching dark figures gain detail over the passing minutes and the gradient of colors from the rising sun. More than that, she would love to be running around bidding good morning to all the lizards and birds in the valley. To her dismay, Chino, her sister, had her arm wrapped over her as if Airo were her teddy bear. She never quite knew who she was trying to make feel safe with these sleeping arrangements, but Airo wasn’t the timid one even being younger by two years.  
    Despite this, tensions had been building in the Valley of Hell. The Chinoke Clan has been living in close quarters for quite some time, so violence was bound to happen. It’s escalating now, even as she lay there, she could feel her clan mates coming to and the string of tension among them being pulled tighter and tighter with each passing moment. The clan didn’t agree on whether or not they should seek revenge on the Uchiha Clan for banishing them to the Valley. Of course, Airo nor Chino understood these conflicts yet.  
    Airo curled closer to Chino and pulled her blanket up so that just her eyes peeked out.  She stayed very still for a few moments in an attempt to hide from the rising fury of her clan mates until she noticed her mother approaching. She shook them both and whispered “Hey girls, why don’t you go play outside the village for a bit.” Chino rubbed her eyes sleepily before taking Airo by the hand and leading her quickly outside of the village.  
    The both plopped down in the dirt and built small piles resembling a miniature village they dreamt of living in. This dream village had lots of people and space between houses and forests of trees and a sea of grass that extended into the horizon. They’d only seen such greenery in picture books that their parents returned with from long trips back to civilization, but they adored it just the same.  
    Chino seemed quieter than usual though, like she knew something was going on, but Airo didn’t have the words to ask her. This frustrated her, but she remembered how Chino taught her to let those things go. Airo inhaled and exhaled slowly, releasing her anger. Or maybe just burying it; She couldn’t tell.  
    Her mind trailed off, remembering the fear instilled in her last time she had gotten angry. She and Chino were playing their millionth game of hide and seek, but Airo couldn’t find her sister this time. She searched for what seemed like forever until finally she gave up. Her nose crinkled and she threw herself to the ground. Chino immediately came out of her hiding place, but Airo’s eyes had already glossed over blood red and she glared at her older sister. Chino winced as a trickle of blood ran from her nose and she fell to her knees. Airo blinked, confused and worried. Her eyes returned to their usual pale grey and hurried to her sister’s side. Chino wiped her nose. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to” Airo whined, tears welling in her eyes. “You can’t ever do that again. If Dad finds out– well I don’t know what will happen but it’ll be bad, Airo. Really, really bad.” Chino looked down, recalling her father’s plans. Once tensions were high enough, he’d use the fight as an excuse to pick off everyone in their clan. She hoped that if Airo didn’t show signs of their ability, he’d let her live.  
    “When you feel any kind of bad feelings, you just have to ignore it. You have to stay calm no matter what.” Airo nodded hastily, silently vowing to keep her word to her sister. She was scared of whatever she just did, scared of what her dad would do if he found out. “Do you have it too?” Airo wondered aloud. Chino nodded solemnly, knowing her father would make her subject Airo to her powers if he ever found out.  
    Airo fiddled with the beads around her neck nervously and looked around to see if their mother was returning to them. The beads were her mothers and acted as a sort of safety blanket on the rare occasion she was feeling uneasy. “Hey Chino, could you go get mom? I don’t feel so good.” Chino nodded and skipped back toward the village. At six years old, Airo didn’t quite recognize her abilities and what they meant. It all just felt more like intuition to her, but she knew she could always feel everyone’s presence. She knew who was there and who wasn’t and she thought she felt people fading away. It scared her, so she rolled a single bead between her index and thumb. She felt every ridge and dip in the poorly crafted  wood. She focused on each intricacy where the skin of her thumb molded to its shape.  
    She felt Chino approaching quickly. She thought she could even feel her sister’s heart beating in her own chest. She looked up to see a horrified expression, tears streaming down her cheeks. She could be barely form words, but what she heard felt like bullets one after the other. “I– M-mom’s dead.” Airo’s world began to crash, but before she could spiral, Chino continued. “Dad killed her and most of the rest of the clan” Airo’s mouth gaped open unable to process anything, but still Chino fired more at her. “He wants me to kill you. So you have to hide. I love you, Airo.” Suddenly Chino was pulling her to her feet and shoving her off into the distance. Airo’s senses blurred, her ears rang with overlapping dialogue. “Mom’s dead. Dad killed her. Go! Run! I love you, Airo.”  
    So Airo ran for a long while. She ran until her legs burned and could take her no further. She collapsed to her knees and sat on her heels in shock. When tears brimmed, she simply blinked them away. She had to be calm. “Inhale. Exhale. Count to ten. Count to fifty. Count to one hundred.” She thought. She couldn’t even count to one hundred but she was determined to push what had happened from her mind. She had to move forward.  
    She walked for a few minutes, feeling completely numb, before coming across a shallow cave. She scanned her new surroundings and there didn’t seem to be any water. The only water she’d known was blood red and came from the pond in the center of the village, but she was so thirsty she could hardly swallow. She thought maybe that was only partially from needing water and partially from the lump in her throat.  
     She figured by tonight, En and Chino would be long gone and she would be able to head back to the village and, though Airo didn’t know of religion, she prayed in her own way that there was someone left. She longed to see Chino again. It had been less than an hour, but she missed her. She missed her mother, and her father… She couldn’t think about how she felt for her father without breaking her calm. Until then, she sat legs crossed, searching for shapes in the jagged rocks that were scattered on the floor of the cave. In one she saw a snake in the negative space, in another a crow. She wished she had wings right now, so she could fly away with Chino to their dream village. Their mom would be there waiting for them with dinner, there would never be fights among the clan, and everyone would be happy.  
    Her mind drifted to her clan members and time began to crawl like she had never experienced. Every moment drilling a feeling of dread further into her chest. Her muscles were tight like a blanket of heavy vinyl constricting around her. “That was my family. Those were the only people I knew. They’re all gone. What if other people don’t even really exist? What if those books were lying? What if I’m all alone forever?” Airo thought, breaking into a sweat. She was gasping for air in a panic so intense she began to fear for her own life. She twisted and turned her necklace without the concentration she had had before. She could no longer feel its ridges, only the pressure of a bead rolling against the pads of her fingers. She gazed into nothingless, unable to focus on any one thing. She could only focus on her sense of touch. The small pebbles digging into the sides on her thighs, the heat of the afternoon sun searing on her shins, her lips cracking with each uncomfortable contortion of her face as she attempted to hold back her tears. The bead, familiar and calming, like a little massage, removing the panic gradually with each lap across her thumb. The bead slowly brought her to a mindset that could only be described as “home”. Her thoughts slowed from manic to tranquil and she could finally take a full deep breath and exhale.  
    She wiped the beads of sweat from her face and chest. The episode had exhausted her and decided it might be better to take a nap to pass the time before she could return to the village than continuing this cycle of resisting and purging of emotions. She curled up in the dirt, her back against the wall of the cave, imagining it was her sister comforting her. On the threshold of sleep, she swore she could feel her warmth and small exhales parting her blonde locks. Unfortunately, this was only wishful thinking for she wouldn’t see her sister again until she had long outgrown the desire to be her sister’s teddy bear or play hide and seek.


	2. Hint of Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Airo heads back to her village assess the damage, and an unsuspected visitor makes her wonder if things could be looking up.

Airo woke without opening her eyes, which were sealed shut with a film of dirt and tears. For a split second, she forgot what had happened; Her mother wasn’t dead, her father wasn’t a murderer, and her sister wasn’t gone. The memories rushed back all too quickly when she didn’t feel anyone’s presence in the earth nor Chino’s arm weighing on her ribs. She wiped the crust from her eyes and rose to her feet.  
The sun was setting and the sky’s gradient took on a darker meaning. The yellows were acidic, the oranges were overwhelming, and the reds were blood. She ran back the way she came, retracing her steps in the dirt. If her father had known she was alive, he could have found her easily. At least she knew she could trust her sister. She saved her life even though it could have cost her her own if their father had found out.  
She could see her village in the distance. There was nothing different about it from the rest of the landscape except for a small circle of ramshackle huts and the smell of sweltering death. Her stomach heaved violently, but she resisted the temptation to expel the contents of her stomach, which was mostly acid by this point. She pinched her nose and pressed on closer to the village. She got just close enough to see their faces and scanned the area.  
Her gaze passed over her mother without recognizing her at first, but her eyes leapt back to her and her heart to her throat within moments. Her face wasn’t full and bright like she was used to, her eyes no longer showed her every emotion. She ran to her, the stench no longer registered. Airo shook her mother’s lifeless body “Momma please come back! I’m all alone!” She screamed, her voice regressing to that of a much younger child.  
Her vision was blurred as she sobbed, her lips split and bled, saliva pooled at the corners of her mouth. Airo cried for a long time, she knew now that her mother was really gone. It wasn’t just Chino’s hurried warning. She whimpered, recalling another lesson Chino had taught her. “Stay calm.” Airo thought she wasn’t doing a very good job at that so far. She wiped her mouth and noticed her mother’s beaded necklace which matched her own. Airo lifted her mother’s head to remove it. Her head unsupported by neck muscles was much heavier than she would have thought, but she managed to slide the string of beads over her thick mane of hair and gingerly placed her head back onto the soil. Airo realized upon examining her mother’s necklace that it wasn’t exactly the same. It had two extra sections of 3 gold beads that sat symmetrically to each other.  
She placed the necklace over her head and as it landed on her chest, she felt a presence. She immediately looked down at her mother, hoping it was her somehow being resurrected. There was deep howl in the distance, but it wasn’t a sound she was familiar with. It was coming from the direction of where her parents would go on their trips. The beads on her chest bounced ever so slightly with every thump of her heart. Airo attempted to hone in on the animal’s chakra only to realize there were two beings, but she didn’t hear two animals. Her mind battled itself on whether to be curious or terrified. She decided to hide behind one of the huts, hopefully these creatures didn’t have much of a sense of smell.  
Airo waited silently, trembling at the thought of a vicious predator approaching. She could hear its feet galloping on the dirt and then a human cried out “Woah!” and the creature came to a halt. She sighed with relief, thankful that a person had control over the animal, but still couldn’t be sure of their intentions. She peeked out just enough to see what was going on. On the opposite side of the village stood a towering creature with grey fur, a long muzzle, and pointed ears. It looked like something she had seen in a book, but she couldn’t remember.  
Mounted on its back was a woman who looked similar to some of her clanmates. They even wore the same flowy grey and white attire. The woman dismounted her steed, her face etched with despair. “Is there anyone else here?” She called out, wondering if there were any survivors. Airo peered shyly around the corner of the building, so that only her head was visible. “Oh…” The woman breathed and began moving towards her in what seemed like a game of hopscotch trying to avoid the bodies. “Honey, is it just you? Where are your parents?” She inhaled sharply. She shouldn’t have asked that. Airo pointed to her mother’s body and said in a small voice “My dad left with my sister. I don’t know where they are.”  
A single tear plummeted down the woman’s cheek. She knelt down next to Airo and placed a hand on her arm “I’m sorry, dear. I’ll help you find him and you can stay with me until then. My name is Junko.” Airo’s eyes went wide and she shook her head “He killed everyone. He wanted me dead too.” Junko stared at her in disbelief.  
“Well, why don’t you come home with me? I’ll get you some dinner, a bath, and a nice bed. I live in Kumogakure, in the mountains.” Airo nodded excitedly. “Is he nice?” she said, pointing to the large beast Junko arrived on. “Very. He’s my best friend. His name is Sukauto; He’s a scouting dog.” Airo smiled and repeated “Sukauto” and the Wolf-Dog's ears perked up. Airo giggled, amused that an animal could have such character. She was accustomed to insects and reptiles which didn’t happen to be very expressive. Junko picked Airo up and planted her on Sukauto’s back. “Just hang on to this.” She said placing Airo’s small hands on a thick leather strap that was fastened just behind the canine’s front legs. Junko hopped on deftly and whistled at the dog as a signal to return home.  
Airo turned, watching her village recede into the horizon. She fiddled with her mother’s necklace with one hand. Junko put a hand on her shoulder “I know you’ll miss it, but just focus on the positive. You’re going to love Kumogakure.” Airo smiled, thinking about her and Chino’s dream village. She didn’t want to get her hopes up too high, but she couldn’t help it. “There is one thing though…” Junko continued “I know about the powers your clan had, they’re forbidden. If anyone should find out you have them, you’d be put in prison. So that’ll be our secret, got it?” “I had to hide it before so I’m used to it.” Airo sighed.  
She watched her surroundings blur past her and repeated to herself “Just focus on the positive.” The more she repeated it, she began noticing a gradual shift in colors. Where once there were dark browns and greys, greens appeared on the ground with yellow and white specks, and further out blueish mountains with icy peaks perched on the horizon.  
They reached the mountains in no time; the alps fascinated Airo with their regality and ruggedness. They made their way to a thin road which lead to the other side, outside of the valley. The path seemed to be almost vertical and a crisp breeze jetted out of opening between boulders at the trailhead. Chills shot up her arms, her hair whipped her face, and her cheeks stung a little, but it was refreshing rather than uncomfortable. She was enthused to see something so unfamiliar. The rocky trail even introduced her to more new creatures like rams, oxen, and wild cats.  
When they finally emerged on the other side of the mountain, Sukauto came to a gradual stop as if to take in the view. Airo studied the new world around her, admiring the jewel-toned landscapes. Emerald forests, sapphire mountains framing the picturesque scene, flowers of amethyst and ruby dotted the earth, all washed with soft pinks and purples of the tail end of the sunset. Her heart soared and a grin spread across her face, her eyes glistening with wonder. “Wow…” she exhaled softly. Junko chuckled “See? I told you you’d like it.”  
Sukauto glided across the remainder of the trail, now in more familiar territory. The further they proceeded along the inner border of the mountain range, buildings came into view through cotton candy clouds. These buildings weren’t the rundown shelters of her village, but instead sleek, modern architecture constructed in and around the peaks. Many of the buildings appeared to be made only of glass, while others were unique shapes, and some even extended far above the clouds.  
“How about we get you a nice dinner, how does that sound?” Junko prodded. “Yes, please.” whispered Airo. Truthfully, she was starving, but her nerves seemed to be suppressing her appetite ever so slightly. Where intense hunger pains and cramps should have been, she felt more of a dull emptiness that didn’t really phase her.  
“Alright, Sukauto, to the ramen shop!” Junko directed and Sukauto sprung to action as if he, too, was looking forward to a good meal. Airo could no longer worry about these things. She was jolted backwards a bit by the dog’s enthusiasm and the back of her head landed on Junko’s abdomen. It was strong but also warm and comforting. Still, Airo peered up at her with wide eyes, worried it may have upset her in some way. Junko glanced down at her and smiled genuinely, combing down Airo’s wind-tousled hair with her finger tips. Airo felt a pang of longing for her own mother, but at the same time, felt a hint of home in Junko’s presence.


	3. A New Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Airo arrives in Kumogakure and gets to experience life among modern civilization.

Airo cocked her head “What’s ramen?” “Oh, only the greatest food ever.” Junko smiled. Her nerves having subsided, Airo was nearly bouncing with excitement. She was so used to being a scavenger out in the Valley. They often only ate every few days, and when they did it was usually bugs, with the occasional snake or bird. She always hated eating the animals she would otherwise be friends with, but there hadn’t been much she could do.  
Sukauto continued over a large bridge, which connected the trail, to the city of various mountains and platforms that supported each construction. They bounced between the podiums and peaks until finally they reached a circular building with a large billboard above its door depicting colorful cuisine. Junko hopped off of Sukauto and helped Airo slide off his back. Junko took Airo’s hand in her own and lead her in.  
Entering the glass doors, all of her senses were hit at once. The smell of fresh food, the sound of people chattering and cooking, and the air was thick with steam which made it feel almost humid. Her mouth watered as she wandered the building, now leading Junko by pure instinct. The inner circle was a food court lined with many types of food. The middle circle was for walking, and the outer circle was filled with tables and chairs where everyone sat to enjoy the food and atmosphere.  
The first stand she came upon was a farmer selling fruits and veggies straight from the field, another was a dessert stand which she was immediately drawn to by smell alone, but Junko assured her that she could go there only after dinner. Finally, they stopped at the ramen shop and Airo’s eyes grew wide watching the people in line receive their massive bowls of soup. She stood in line, perhaps a little less than patiently. Airo would peek around the legs of the person in front of them to see how much longer every 30 seconds or so. The rest of her wait, she traced the outlines of the linoleum tiles with her feet as if they were balance beams.  
“Alright we’re up! Go find us a table and I’ll meet you there.” Junko called over the gossip of the masses. Airo nodded and sped off only to notice that all the tables in front of the ramen shop were full. She ventured to the next shop over. It seemed to be a stand with multiple vendors. One section of the counter was dedicated to wood work, another to blown glass, and the last third to flowers. She glanced over each section curiously, but the woodwork section drew her in most because the pieces reminded her of her and her mother’s necklaces. She fiddled with them for a moment before a young girl popped her head up from behind the counter.  
“Hey!” the girl squeaked, blonde bangs bouncing as she spoke. Airo smiled shyly and muttered a small “Hello”. “What’s your name? I’m Ino. Are you from here? My daddy owns the flower shop! We’re not from here, just visiting.” Airo was a little overwhelmed by the girl’s energy, but answered politely “I’m Airo, I live here now I guess. Where are you from?” “Konohagakure! We live there but we travel with our flower shop until we can get a real store.” Ino chattered. Airo nodded and noticed Junko wandering, looking for her with their soup. “I gotta go eat soup now.” Airo blurted abruptly and waved goodbye to Ino as she dashed off to an empty table in front of the flower shop in the outer ring.  
Junko smiled “There you are! Did you make a friend over there?” “Yeah, but she said she lives in Konohagakure… Wherever that is.” Airo shrugged and climbed onto her chair. Junko smiled and slid her bowl across the table to her. Airo perched on her heels and peered over the lip of the bowl. Steam rose into her face as she inhaled the aroma of fresh vegetables. It was even more vibrantly colored than the banner outside. Ribbons of carrot cupped pools of bubbling broth, and noodles swam and wove their way around each ingredient. Earthy mushrooms and crisp tofu appeared to hover above the medley, and an egg rested atop it all like a king on his throne. Airo popped her chopsticks apart and admired the dish for another moment before devouring it. It didn’t take much before her stomach was warm and content.  
Junko continued nibbling at her own during their conversation. “Do you have a husband?” Airo wondered, swirling her chopsticks around in her leftover soup. Junko shook her head “I do have a boyfriend, Kuraim, but he lives in Konohagakure.” Airo’s mind drifted back to Ino. Maybe they’d visit and become friends. She’d never had a friend besides her sister. 

She wondered where her father had taken her. Somewhere far? Could she even be in Kumogakure or even Konohagakure? Is she safe? 

These questions would eat at her until she found Chino. Her life with Junko was a near perfect one. They spent a year and a half just her, Junko, and Sakauto in their quaint home in the mountains. Airo grew to be shy and closed off, she had no friends in Kumogakure, she missed her family. Outside of that though, her day to day life was simple and quiet, exactly the surroundings she needed to keep calm and positive as she had been instructed. Over the eighteen months she spent in Kumogakure, her love for nature flourished. She woke early, hiked daily, and was always one to help someone in need, human or animal. Junko had taken her on every scouting adventure since, and Airo wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything. Unfortunately, upon their departure from her peaceful haven in Kumogakure, her situation would deteriorate and her control would be tested more than ever.


	4. Gaptooth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Airo, Junko, and Sakauto make it to Konohagakure. While exploring the village she encounters an old friend and a new enemy.

Airo sat on her bed mat, legs crossed, simply focusing on her breathing, rolling the beads of her necklace between her fingers. Her nerves were spiking as they prepared for Junko’s wedding and their relocation to Konohagakure. She had yet to meet this man and hadn’t trusted one since her father. She tried to remember Junko was adept at reading people and she wouldn’t steer her wrong.  
Thankfully, she had seen Ino a couple of times when her parents were in town with their traveling flower shop, but they had last spoken nearly a year ago. At that time, they were preparing to open their storefront. Ino’s outgoing nature had made them fast friends so, if anything, she was looking forward to having a familiar face to turn to in the new village.  
She rolled up the mat and strapped it to the top of her bag which contained her old bead necklace and the 3 outfits she cycled through. This was all she owned so packing was easy, but leaving the mountains that had brought her first happiness since leaving the Valley was more difficult. She had decided a couple of nights prior to hike to her favorite spot before sunrise on her last day there. She grabbed her knitted purse, tossed in an apple and a bread roll wrapped in cloth, and began her trek. It was late Autumn, and a layer of orange and amber coated the earth. She shuddered in the frigid gusts that shot like cannons through channels created by the mountains. The dark sky began to lighten to navy the closer she got the peak. Like clockwork, the moment she reached the summit and took a calming breath, the same oranges and ambers that lay below burst across the sky and covered the clouds below her in a wash of coral.  
She beamed, elated that she was able to witness this one last time. She hunkered down on the cliff, legs dangling off the edge and plopped her purse onto her lap to remove her breakfast. She felt a nudge at her shoulder and she flinched, whipping around instinctively. Behind her stood a ram, its horns a deep brown and coat tan. She smiled and relaxed her shoulders, offering it the apple. She always welcomed the company of animals, but this one felt different. It was as if she felt a faint, familiar chakra emitting from it. The ram took a bite out of the apple, spraying pulp and juice onto her face. Airo giggled softly “Thanks a lot.” The ram snorted as if to chuckle along with her. Its chestnut eyes bore into her own for a moment, and in one swift movement, it was bolting down the mountain with agility and strength. She watched its descent until it was concealed by the clouds and then rose to her feet. The sky was now a clear blue and it was time she head back to begin their trip to Konohagakure.  
Airo arrived back home to Junko preparing breakfast. Junko smiled “Hey honey, did you eat yet? You’re looking a little thin.” Airo nodded, the weight of the uneaten loaf of bread weighing heavy on her hip. Junko plated up some fresh fruit and walked it to her. “Still, eat.” Airo nibbled at a piece of melon, savoring the sweet taste as it seemed to melt in her mouth.  
“Are you excited for our trip?” Junko continued between bites. Airo nodded, lying for the second time in a row. She knew shouldn’t make a habit of this. “I know you’ve gotten attached to this place, but we're moving on to bigger and better things.” Junko assured her. Airo’s heart warmed, she really only wanted the best for Junko, and she knew she would be happier in Konohagakure with her husband-to-be. Airo smiled genuinely “You’re right, I am looking forward to it. Especially making friends in the ninja academy.” Junko’s eyebrows raised “Ninja academy, huh? Where did that come from?” Airo blushed, “Well, Ino was telling me about how she was going to start when she turned eight, so I thought maybe I could too.” Junko’s eyes sparkled with tears, “Well, if you think you would enjoy it, I won’t stop you. Just do your best to stay safe; I don’t know what I’d do if someone hurt you.” Airo hugged her tight “I’ll be careful, I promise.” Junko held her shoulders firmly “Alright, enough of this sappy stuff. Let’s get going!” Junko slung her pack of belongings onto her back. Airo grabbed her own bag and headed outside to greet Sakauto, who was definitely ready for the exercise.  
They both leapt onto his back and set off on their journey. Airo turned and watched as another home faded away into the backdrop. Her heart sank and a wave of anguish crashed over her. All of the emotions she felt when leaving the Valley resurfaced. More than anything she was disappointed she hadn’t spent the last year and a half searching for her sister. Even if she had found Chino, though, she knew she wasn’t strong enough to defeat her father. That was one thing she did keep from Junko. While she did look forward to attending the academy with Ino and meeting new friends, her real drive was training to save her sister. Even if it took many years, she was set on finding her as soon as she was able.  
The trip to Konoha was usually three days on foot, but Sakauto was quite a lot faster than most people, and the trek was shortened to about eighteen hours. They passed through dangerous territory on the way, so stopping was not an option.  
“Are you sure we can’t just stop for a few minutes? My butt’s been numb for hours. I’m scared it’s not there anymore.” Airo whined. Junko chuckled and informed her “I know, I know. We can’t stop for anything though. We’re passing through some villages that have… violent tendencies.” Airo sighed, wondering what kind of villages were out here. Could they really be any worse than her clan? She doubted it. However, she didn’t want to question Junko, she wasn’t strong enough to protect them yet if anything were to happen. Sakauto, on the other hand, didn’t once falter or grumble the entire journey.  
“How does he do it?” Airo asked, reaching forward and scratching behind one of his ears. “This is what he’s bred for. There’s a farm in the middle of nowhere in the Land of Wind run by an old woman. She breeds scout dogs for just about every scout ever.” Junko explained “I want to go there and pet all of them.” Airo said, laying her top half forward and hugging around Sakuto’s neck.  
Finally they reached the village and Kuraim was waiting for them at the entrance, hands in his pockets. A hint of a smile peeked through his salt and pepper beard. Saukato came to a stop and sniffed the man curiously. Junko slid off the dog’s back and approached her fiance, draping her arms over his shoulders and his around her waist. Airo sat on Sakauto unsure if she should introduce herself. She decided against it when they began to passionately kiss as if the rest of the world didn’t exist. Airo thought she could take the opportunity to check out her new surroundings. She jumped off Sakauo, patted him goodbye, and went on her way to explore her village.  
Airo took off down the wide center avenue with long strides, trying to take in everything she could as quickly as possible. She glanced to either side noticing various buildings, a stadium to her right, a hospital to her left. Amidst the excitement, she failed to watch in front of her. All she noticed was a blur of blonde hair before she fell backwards. The person groaned “Hey! Why don’t you watch where you’re-- Oh! Airo!” Airo sat up to see Ino, holding out a hand to help her up. She took Ino’s hand and got back to her feet and began to stammer out an apology “I’m sorry Ino. I didn’t mean to run into you. I wasn’t paying attention. We just got here so I--” Ino interrupted “It’s fine! No worries! I’m so glad to see you, it’s been forever.” Airo nodded, It had been awhile. Over a year, in fact. Ino hugged her tight. No one had ever been that excited to see her before.  
“Hey Ino, do you have a girrrlfriend?” a voice jeered. Ino whipped around “Oh shut it, would you? You’re just mad because I turned you down. Anyway, my daddy said I can’t have a boyfriend until I’m sixteen.” The red haired boy began blushing to a near purple. Ino turned back to Airo muttering “That’s Tohru. He’ll be going to the academy with us in January.” Airo’s nerves were rising as she realized she started in just two weeks.  
Tohru had by now shaken his embarrassment and confronted Airo. “So who are you, anyway?” He snarled. “I-I’m Airo. I just m-moved here.” She stuttered. “Well, why don’t you g-g-go back where you came from, gap tooth.” He mocked. Airo gasped, covering her mouth, tears brimming. Ino flew over to him, her hand balled into a fist, and jabbed him in the jaw. “Get out of her, Tohru.” she huffed and turned back to Airo, who was still stunned by the dispute. Tohru scampered off down an alleyway to tend to his wounds and Ino frowned.  
Airo was floored yet again with Ino’s loyalty. She stood up for her, she punched a boy just because he was rude. For her? She couldn't grasp it, but she was thankful, nonetheless.  
“I’m so sorry, Airo. He’s just a jerk, don’t let him bother you. Anyway, I think your teeth are cute.” Her smile returned, and she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I’ve gotta go home for dinner, but I’ll see you around.” Airo smiled a bit and whispered “See ya.” before heading back to the main entrance to find Junko and Kauraim.


End file.
